Bones Hyland Rumors | Hoops Rumors

L.A. Notes: Lakers, Trade Targets, Coffey, Hyland, Harden

November 29th, 2023 at 3:39pm CST by Luke Adams

Appearing on Hoops Tonight (Twitter video link), Jovan Buha of The Athletic confirmed that the Lakers have some interest in Bulls guard Zach LaVine, but said there are a couple other Chicago players who may be higher on Los Angeles’ wish list.

“I’ve actually heard that they’re more interested in DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso,” Buha said. “AC, he’s the one that got away. Lakers fans, it still bothers them. Inside the organization, it’s a very divisive topic. And then DeMar is someone that the Lakers have courted for several years. Both of those guys are on more manageable contracts (than LaVine).

“… I think both of those guys make more sense within what the Lakers need. There’s real interest in all three guys, but from what I’ve been told, DeMar and Alex are higher on their priority list.”

Here’s more on the NBA’s two L.A. teams:

Within a comprehensive look at potential trade candidates around the NBA, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype says that rival executives believe D’Angelo Russell and Rui Hachimura are among the Lakers players worth monitoring as the trade deadline nears. Scotto also cites one exec who suggests keeping an eye on the possibility of an Amir Coffey trade if the Clippers want to try to reduce their tax bill at all.
No Clippers players have had their minutes more affected by James Harden‘s arrival than Bones Hyland. He averaged 26.2 minutes per night before Harden’s debut; since then, he has logged 12.9 MPG with six DNPs. As Janis Carr of The Orange County Register details, head coach Tyronn Lue has told Hyland his opportunities will come and the young guard is determined to remain patient. “Obviously everybody would be (bothered), especially for someone who wants to play like myself,” Hyland said. “But at the end of the day, sometimes the coaches see different things and maybe it’s not my time for a reason. … My whole life I try to stay positive, so I don’t let little things throw me off or change my attitude and stuff like that.”
Speaking today to reporters, Lue said that he isn’t considering a starting lineup change but that he’s thinking about tweaking his rotation, adding that the Clippers need Harden to be “more aggressive” (Twitter thread via Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times).

Clippers Notes: Harden, Lue, Westbrook, Hyland

November 13th, 2023 at 9:01am CST by Arthur Hill

After the Clippers lost their fifth straight game on Sunday, coach Tyronn Lue theorized that James Harden is being “too polite” as he tries to fit in with his teammates, writes Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. During Saturday’s practice, Lue told Harden that he has “free rein” to play his normal style, but that didn’t translate well in his first game in front of his new home fans. Harden was limited to 11 points, four rebounds and three assists while shooting 4-of-12 from the field and 1-of-7 from three-point range.

“I think he’s doing too much to try to fit in,” Lue said. “So that’s on me. Just yesterday we had a talk amongst the team and just he has to be James Harden. He led the league in assists the last two or three years, and making plays and what he does in the pick-and-roll, he’s great. So we have to allow him to be himself.”

Responding to Lue’s message, Harden said he understands there’s a need to become more aggressive and make “the right basketball plays.” His teammates know they need the best version of Harden in order to succeed, and they’re willing to adjust to what he can do.

“We want James to be himself,” Paul George said. “James is used to having the ball and orchestrating offense and breaking offense down every possession. I’m sure it is tough when it’s not that every possession, and so he’s working through that. We’re all working through something, and we’re just trying to figure out how to be ourselves when those opportunities present themselves.”

There’s more on the Clippers:

Lue was more frustrated than he has been all season after L.A. lost at home to a Memphis team that entered the game with a 1-8 record, according to Law Murray of The Athletic. Murray notes that Lue built the team in training camp around Russell Westbrook‘s ability to push the ball and create open shots, but the offense had moved at a different pace since Harden was acquired. “I think playing too slow, just playing too slow,” Lue told reporters. “We get rebounds, you get stops, you got to push it. On makes, we got to push it, get up quick and attack early. You know, we can’t just f— … Sorry. No, I mean, we just can’t just walk around offensively. Like you got to get to the next actions.”
Bringing Harden off the bench might be the best solution for both him and the team, contends Mirjam Swanson of The Orange County Register. She suggests that Lue has already realized this, as Harden and Westbrook only shared the court for 11 minutes Sunday even though they both started.
Reserve guard Bones Hyland didn’t play in Sunday’s game, and Lue said he’s likely to remain out of the rotation for a while, tweets Clippers beat writer Joey Linn. Hyland has averaged 11.8 PPG in eight games and even made two starts, but Lue wants more size off the bench and plans to stick with the rotation he used against Memphis.

Clippers Exercise Bones Hyland’s Fourth-Year Option

October 30th, 2023 at 7:02pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Clippers are exercising Bones Hyland‘s 2024/25 fourth-year option, Law Murray of The Athletic tweets. The move is official, per RealGM’s transaction log.

Hyland will make $4,158,439 in ’24/25 after earning $2,306,400 this season.

The Clippers acquired Hyland from Denver for a pair of second-rounders at last year’s trade deadline. A late first-round pick in 2021, Hyland publicly pushed for a bigger role with the Nuggets and they ultimately decided to move on from him. Hyland hasn’t enjoyed an expanded role since the trade but seems more settled and happier in Los Angeles.

Hyland appeared in 111 regular season games with the Nuggets and 14 more with the Clippers last season. He’s off to a solid start on Los Angeles’ second unit this season, averaging 15.7 points and 1.7 assists in 21.7 minutes per game.

Pacific Notes: Mann, Hyland, Gordon, Wainright

October 20th, 2023 at 1:38pm CST by Luke Adams

Asked on Thursday about the trade rumors surrounding Terance Mann, Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue indicated that he doesn’t want to see the guard go anywhere and expressed confidence that he’ll stay put.

“We love T-Mann, and T-Mann is gonna be here,” Lue said (Twitter link via Joey Linn of SI.com). “So we’re not worried about what they’re saying outside, all the speculations. It’s a good thing to be wanted.”

Of course, the decision on Mann’s future won’t ultimately be made by Lue, but the Clippers have reportedly resisted including him in any offer for James Harden for months.

Here’s more from around the Pacific:

Bones Hyland‘s big night against his former team came to an abrupt end on Thursday when the Clippers guard sprained his left ankle in the third quarter vs. Denver. However, Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times hears that there’s some “initial optimism” that the injury may not force Hyland – who had scored 25 points in 24 minutes – to miss any regular season games. He’ll be reevaluated in a few days, the Clippers announced today.
Speaking to Mark Medina of Sportskeeda, veteran guard Eric Gordon named the Rockets, Warriors, and Bucks as some of the other options he had in free agency before he chose to sign with the Suns. “I felt Phoenix was onto something special,” Gordon said. “It was a tough decision, but I really think we have everything going on here from ownership, to coaches and to players. It’s hard to beat.”
The Suns are hoping that their release of Ish Wainright is “more of a logistical thing” rather than the end of their relationship with him, according to head coach Frank Vogel. As Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic observes, Phoenix has a two-way slot open and Wainright would be eligible to sign a two-way deal with the club if he clears waivers.
Within their season preview for the Pacific Division, Jovan Buha, Law Murray, and Anthony Slater of The Athletic agree that the best move of the offseason by a Pacific team was the Suns‘ trade for Bradley Beal. The Athletic’s trio cites Phoenix’s trade of Deandre Ayton, the Warriors‘ acquisition of Chris Paul, and the Clippers‘ unwillingness to increase their trade offer for Harden as the moves with the biggest potential to backfire.

Nuggets GM: Comments On Hyland, MPJ Weren’t Intended For “Public Consumption”

October 18th, 2023 at 7:59am CST by Luke Adams

Appearing on ESPN2 on Tuesday night, Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth was asked about comments he made recently to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer about Bones Hyland and Michael Porter Jr. While he didn’t dispute the accuracy of his quote, Booth indicated he didn’t expect it to show up in O’Connor’s story.

“Under no circumstances would I make or approve of those kind of comments for public consumption,” Booth said (Twitter link via Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports). “It’s not my character as a person or executive, and I think it’s an unfair characterization of Michael and Bones.

“I think Bones is a great kid, has a bright future ahead of him, a charismatic player in our game. And obviously Michael is a core piece of our program with his character and offensive and defensive prowess. So I think that was unfair for those things to be put out there and hopefully it doesn’t happen in the future.”

Addressing the Nuggets’ decision to trade Hyland at last season’s deadline, Booth had candidly explained his thinking to O’Connor.

“I knew you couldn’t have two guys that couldn’t guard, and we couldn’t have two guys that were young and kind of more ‘me guys,'” he said. “Mike makes $30 million. He’s one of the best shooters in the NBA. So, Bones, there’s no place for you.”

While those comments don’t come off as particularly flattering to either Hyland or Porter, O’Connor clarified on Twitter that he didn’t view them, in context, as a shot at either player.

“Being a ‘me guy’ wasn’t a knock,” O’Connor wrote. “You want at least one guy who can shoot without any fear from anywhere. It’s part of what makes MPJ special, there was just too much of the same. Plus MPJ improved (defensively), as written about in the context of the article.”

Based on Booth’s comments on Tuesday, it sounds like he believed he was speaking off the record when he discussed his thinking for trading Hyland. While his frank assessment was refreshing when compared to typical executive-speak, the fact that he’s already walking it back suggests that he’ll be more guarded when talking to reporters in the future.

Nuggets Notes: Booth, Braun, Hyland, Strawther, More

October 16th, 2023 at 9:50pm CST by Tristan Tucker

The 2023 NBA champion Nuggets took a hit when they lost Bruce Brown in free agency this offseason, but Denver has the infrastructure in place to continue developing rotation threats to help win rings, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic. Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth has a plan in place for a dynasty, according to Amick, and sees the widespread public doubt following Brown’s departure as “disproportionate.”

Amick writes that Booth is high on Christian Braun, whom he compares to early-career Jimmy Butler and sees as a headlining piece of Denver’s core. Booth knows supplementing stars with rotational talent is key to maintaining a winning culture, and Braun has already impressed the organization enough to earn that level of trust. Amick notes Booth said the team explored signing Torrey Craig, who wound up with Chicago, but ultimately felt good about the development of Braun and Peyton Watson.

The Nuggets also drafted several young pieces — Jalen Pickett, Julian Strawther and Hunter Tyson — as well as keeping 22-year-old Zeke Nnaji on board.

“We’re going to have to learn to block the outside noise,” Booth said. “Like, ‘Why didn’t you put a veteran team together and try to repeat?’ You have to be willing to take all that criticism, because I don’t think it’s the right thing — especially for this team and the developmental stage we’re at — to go quote-unquote all-in on a repeat. So we don’t get the repeat. Then what? What if we won one out of the next two? What if we won two out of the next four?”

Booth is of course high on superstar Nikola Jokic, but also believes Reggie Jackson can be a contender for Sixth Man of the Year and Jamal Murray will be motivated by the potential of earning a super-max extension next summer, Amick writes.

We have more Nuggets notes:

A similar piece from The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor emphasizes Booth’s confidence in his team and desire to build a dynasty. O’Connor notes the challenges the Nuggets, like other teams, face as a result of the tax measures in the new CBA, and explains their philosophy in bringing in young players. Of note, O’Connor mentions one of Booth’s first moves was to ship out promising youngster Bones Hyland at the trade deadline this year. “I knew you couldn’t have two guys that couldn’t guard, and we couldn’t have two guys that were young and kind of more ‘me guys,’” Booth said. “[Michael Porter Jr.] makes $30 million. He’s one of the best shooters in the NBA. So, Bones, there’s no place for you.“
Murray has taken Strawther under his wing, according to Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports. The rookie has been standing out in the preseason and is attempting to earn a regular season role. Murray sees potential in the Gonzaga product. “I’m just trying to keep him thinking and let him play free,” Murray said. “I just love his aggressive mindset. Miss, make, turnover, whatever it is. He’s staying constantly aggressive and looking for his shot and playing at his own pace.“
Strawther is making it difficult for the Nuggets to not call plays for him with his play of late, Bennett Durando of The Denver Post writes. The No. 29 pick in the 2023 draft is averaging 19.7 points and shooting 50% on eight three-point attempts per game in the preseason. The Nuggets made him the first player off the bench in their Sunday preseason game and he shared the floor with members the championship starting lineup. “You’re crazy if you think I’m on the floor with Nikola and Jamal and they’re going to be worried about what I’m doing,” Strawther said. “My job is just ultimately to space the floor and make shots when I’m on the floor with those guys.“
Porter and Braun are progressing from ankle and calf injuries, respectively, Wind tweets. According to Wind, the hope is that they play Thursday in Los Angeles for the Nuggets’ final preseason game against the Clippers.

L.A. Notes: Covington, Hyland, Russell, Ham, Wood

October 13th, 2023 at 10:34pm CST by Rory Maher

After signing a two-year, $24MM extension in May 2022, Robert Covington didn’t play much for the Clippers in 2022/23, appearing in just 48 games off the bench while averaging 16.2 minutes per night, his fewest since his rookie season. However, he could be a starter this season, and he’s trying to seize the opportunity, writes Janis Carr of The Orange County Register.

“(Head coach) Ty (Lue) told me that last year, he wished I got to play more because it was just unfortunate how deep our team was and how I hadn’t really played a lot and he just kept me out,” Covington said. “I just said (to myself), ‘Stay patient, just stay patient.’ I did everything that I was supposed to as far as staying ready whenever my number was called. I was ready for anything. That’s what I love about my professionalism – the fact that I stay ready no matter what.”

According to Carr, Covington kept an upbeat attitude throughout ’22/23, despite the trying circumstances.

“At times it was (hard not to get down), but I know I’m a part of this league,” the 32-year-old forward said. “I’ve had veterans talk (about) that type of stuff before in the past. So, I can understand just being in that moment, and understanding that the team I’m on, it is going to be like that. It sucks sometimes that we’ve got to sacrifice. But like I said, stay patient.”

Here’s more from the NBA’s to Los Angeles teams:

Third-year guard Bones Hyland has received positive reviews from teammates in his first Clippers training camp, according to Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times (subscriber link). The Clippers acquired the 23-year-old via trade in February. “He’s fast, he’s talented, he’s a great basketball player, but I think maybe last year he was rushing a little bit too much,” forward Nicolas Batum said of Hyland. “Now he seems even if he’s still fast, he feels like he’s more under control, makes better decisions. … He worked on that. You can see, he watched film, he tried to get better decision-making and he’s doing a good job so far. I love watching him. He’s going to have a great season.”
Hyland added 11 pounds of muscle and focused on improving his defense this offseason, Carr writes for The Orange County Register. “I feel like I’m not like a weak link no more on the defensive side,” Hyland said Friday. “Giving multiple efforts and just trying to improve in the lower areas on the defensive end (is where) I feel like I improved.”
Another player working to change the perception of him being a minus defensively is Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell, per Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. Russell was frequently targeted by the Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals. “Yeah, I mean, last year they found a way to get me off the floor by not playing defense, I guess,” Russell said. “So, (I) try to be a reason to eliminate that. Not give them a reason to not have me on the floor. Try to be as dangerous as I can on offense and try not to be a liability on defense. So, that’s what I’m working on. I’m trying to do it now before the season so I continue to practice those good habits.”
In a conversation with Marc J. Spears of Andscape, Lakers head coach Darvin Ham defended Christian Wood from his detractors and said he has long been a mentor to the big man. “I don’t know what happened in Dallas and that’s not my business,” Ham said. “I don’t know. People say s–t. ‘He’s lazy. He doesn’t play any defense.’ I know the kid. I know what he’s going to do for me and he’s done everything that I expected him to do up to this point since camp has been going on.”

Clippers Notes: Lue, Hyland, George, Mann

October 9th, 2023 at 10:02am CST by Arthur Hill

Coach Tyronn Lue is trying to instill a sense of urgency in the Clippers, starting with a competitive training camp and an emphasis on results in the preseason, writes Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times. Lue played 11 years in the NBA, so he understands how players sometimes approach exhibition games, but he wants to avoid falling into that trap.

“Veteran players, they always try to ease into it,” Lue said. “And I wanted to try to change that mindset of just establishing who we are from day one.”

L.A. didn’t have a full roster for Sunday’s opener against the Jazz in Hawaii. Russell Westbrook and Nicolas Batum were both rested, and Marcus Morris was held out of the game after suffering a left groin injury in Saturday’s practice. He’s also expected to miss Tuesday’s contest.

“I know it doesn’t count, but we still can establish … offensively pushing the pace, attacking the basket, having great spacing defensively and being physical one through five, just bringing our physicality,” Lue told reporters before Sunday’s game.

There’s more on the Clippers:

Bones Hyland was impressive while taking Westbrook’s spot in the starting lineup, Greif adds. Hyland may not get many chances to run the offense alongside Paul George and Kawhi Leonard, especially if L.A. winds up trading for James Harden, but he looked comfortable in that role on Sunday. “I just love Bones’ aggression,” George said. “I thought off the bounce, him getting to his shots, getting to his points on the floor, his play-making, his creativity. And I know he’s not a defensive guy, but he gives great effort on the defensive end and he’s long, he’s quick, he makes plays on both ends. We appreciate that from the guard spot, so he’ll tie in well with what we’re doing.”
Terance Mann has heard his name mentioned in Harden rumors all summer, but he’s focusing on what he can bring to the Clippers, per Janis Carr of The Orange County Register. On top of the trade speculation, Mann recently became eligible for a three-year contract extension worth up to a projected $56MM and he said he would welcome a long-term deal with the team.
Jud Winton has received a promotion to vice president/assistant general manager, the Clippers announced (via Twitter).

Western Notes: Westbrook, Ryan, Pelicans, Ayton, Mavs

September 26th, 2023 at 1:30pm CST by Luke Adams

Russell Westbrook fit in even better than expected down the stretch with the Clippers last season, according to Law Murray of The Athletic, who notes that the veteran point guard was an effective change-of-pace option for a slow team and showed a willingness to work off the ball more than he has in the past.

With Westbrook returning to the Clippers after re-signing as a free agent, Murray explores whether the former MVP can have the same sort of impact in 2023/24 and what the team’s contingency options look like if Westbrook isn’t as effective or gets injured.

Terance Mann and Bones Hyland look like the best in-house alternatives at the point if the Clippers are unable to trade for James Harden or another veteran. However, the team still wants to see more aggression out of Mann as a play-maker and creator, while Hyland is an undersized defender, Murray writes.

Here’s more from around the Western Conference:

Although Matt Ryan is signing a new two-way contract with the Timberwolves, he’s not necessarily guaranteed to keep that roster spot into the regular season, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic, who reports (via Twitter) that Ryan will compete for a two-way spot with Minnesota’s other camp invitees. Krawczynski adds (via Twitter) that the sharpshooter worked out for the Pelicans last week before agreeing to re-sign with the Wolves.
Following up on the recent Deandre Ayton trade rumors, Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports puts together 10 hypothetical multi-team deals that send Ayton to the Trail Blazers, Damian Lillard to a third team, and other assets to the Suns.
Mavericks director of player health and performance Casey Smith, who has been on the team’s bench for the last two decades, will have his role adjusted this season, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN (Twitter link). Smith won’t travel with the Mavs on a regular basis or be on their bench, MacMahon says.

Robert Covington Approaching 2023/24 Season With “Vendetta”

August 11th, 2023 at 10:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Robert Covington feels like he has a lot to prove to the Clippers after being kept out of the rotation for nearly all of last season, writes Law Murray of The Athletic.

The 32-year-old forward appeared in just 48 games and averaged 16.2 minutes per night, the lowest total since his rookie season. He doesn’t understand why he spent so much time on the bench, adding that he hasn’t talked to head coach Tyronn Lue since the playoffs ended.

L.A. was Covington’s fifth team in four years when the Clippers acquired him shortly before the 2022 trade deadline. He became the primary backup at power forward and believed the fit was so good that he didn’t test free agency, opting for a two-year extension with L.A. instead.

Covington had a regular role at the beginning of last season while starting center Ivica Zubac was injured. But after entering health and safety protocols at the end of October, Covington didn’t see consistent playing time again. He was expecting to be traded before the February deadline, Murray adds, but he remained on the roster, although he was stuck behind Marcus Morris and Nicolas Batum. Even when Paul George and Kawhi Leonard were sidelined with late-season injuries, Lue didn’t insert Covington back into the rotation.

“I got a vendetta. It’s a bigger chip on my shoulder,” Covington said of his approach to the upcoming season. “Not playing that much last year really put me in a place — all right. I got to force them. So, come back, do what I got to do. They say this is the mentality of, you know, come back strong, get better. That way, it won’t be none of that. Won’t be no issues of, whatever the case. … It’s the way the year went. It wasn’t how I expected, but I said it’s come back, go to the drawing board, and get better.”

Covington addresses a few other topics in his interview with Murray. Here are some highlights:

On getting ready to enter another season with an expiring contract:

“It ain’t no difference. Only difference is that I didn’t play last year. I mean, that’s the only difference. I approach every chance, every opportunity like that —it’s no different. So my mentality don’t shift, I don’t get discouraged or anything. I got to do what I do. And I do what I do best. So I’m never going to stray away. Never going to stray away from anything of that nature. I am going to be who I am, and that’s just what it is.”

On whether there was anything to learn from spending so much time on the bench:

“I didn’t take nothing from last year. Last year didn’t go how I expected, so I didn’t take nothing from it. I just wash it away and start over, a new year. That’s just my mentality of it. … It’s nothing that could be talked about. I mean, I really haven’t had much feedback besides, you know, what I’ve been doing now. I haven’t talked about last year. I’ve put that behind me and focused on right now and moving forward. That’s what it’s all about. Can’t dwell on what happened last year, whatever the case may be. It happened. So I’m just gonna wash, move forward.”

On his early impressions of offseason additions Kenyon Martin Jr., Jordan Miller and Kobe Brown, along with other workout partners such as Bones Hyland and Brandon Boston Jr.:

“Those guys are going to be special. I like Jordan’s tenacity, his pressure on defense, I like his cutting off ball. I like the plays and reads he made. The other guys came up here and played really well. You know, BB is starting to get better. Bones is getting better. KJ is athletic as hell. He’s gotten so much better. It is great to sit up here and see them dudes sit up here and prosper.”